Cellular South to Offer Netbook With Built-In 3G High-Speed Data

RIDGELAND, Miss., July 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Cellular South, a leader in wireless solutions and innovation and the nation's largest privately-owned wireless communications provider, today announced plans to offer the Dell Inspiron Mini 10 netbook this summer with built-in 3G high-speed mobile broadband data. With its unique multi-touch and gesture pad, the Mini 10 netbook has a compact 10.1 inch screen, weighs just 2.6 pounds and features an edge-to-edge keyboard.

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"This device promises to provide the ultimate in mobile connectivity and freedom through anytime, anywhere access to the Internet," said Kevin Hankins, chief operating officer for Cellular South. "With superior coverage and 3G high-speed data in more places than any other wireless carrier, our customers can go beyond the confines of wi-fi to achieve truly mobile on-the-go access to the Internet for news, educational studies, information, video content, social networking, shopping and entertainment."

The lightweight, inexpensive portable computing device will be sold for $199 with a new two-year mobile broadband agreement, according to Wade Smith, director of product development and management for Cellular South. The company will offer customers a $59.99 monthly plan, including 5 GB monthly data allowance and a $39.99 a month plan with a 500 MB monthly data allowance. Students can also get a 20 percent discount off this plan, making the netbook a must-have for the back-to-school season.

Smith said the devices are growing in popularity with elementary age, high school and college students. "All of the research shows that demand is going to steadily increase for netbooks, especially among college students who are searching for a lightweight, more portable alternative to a laptop."

Social networkers and workers on the go also are embracing the mini-laptops as a preferred method of accessing social networking applications like Facebook and Twitter and remote, web-based access to business networks and databases, Smith said.

Sometimes called a mini-laptop or mini-notebook personal computer, the netbook is one of the fastest growing segments of the portable computing market, according to IDC Research. About 13 million were sold worldwide in 2008 with 10 million of those sales coming in the second half of the year.

Other features include built-in 3G high-speed mobile broadband from Cellular South, GPS, 16:9 display aspect ratio, an 802.11 wi-fi connection, a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of internal memory, an Intel Atom Z520 processor, Windows XP Home edition operating system, Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser and a full suite of other software productivity tools.

Netbooks also will come with assistance from Cellular South's industry-leading online and in-store Discover Center, which shows customers how to get the most out of the device's functionality, features and applications. "Through Discover Center content and training online and in stores, consumers will be surrounded with opportunities for training and discovering personal uses of netbooks enabled by Cellular South's 3G high-speed data network," Smith said.

"Consumers, especially students and those interested in social networking, are demanding the freedom to be connected whenever and wherever, more functionality than a smartphone or PDA can offer and more portable connectivity than a laptop can offer," Smith said. "Netbooks are a perfect fit for them as they are fun and functional - designed as the ultimate in portable computing and access to the Internet."

About Cellular South

Cellular South is a privately-owned diversified mobile communications company passionately committed to helping customers get the most out of their wireless devices and services. The nation's largest privately owned wireless communications provider accomplishes this goal by providing the most reliable and advanced 3G nationwide wireless voice and data network, offering industry-leading family and unlimited flat rate voice, text and mobile web plans, and through its online and in-store Discover Centers, which give customers easy, simple and convenient tools, tips, advice and information on how to get the most out of their mobile phone. For more information, visit www.cellularsouth.com.

SOURCE Cellular South

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